Watching the trends of the outdoor world for more than 30 years has been an enlightening trip with many eye-brow raising experiences popping up along the way.  It seems like nearly every week there is a new twist or turn in the inventive minds of firearm and gear makers.

   One of the recent ventures into creativity has been the introduction of products riding the coat tails of the zombie, vampire and werewolf craze sweeping across movie theaters and even television screens.  Maybe I am too old school, but I have to admit I just don't get this focus on fantasy.  

    I hate to spoil anyone's monster party, but the walking dead don't exist and you don't need a special firearm, knife, target or any other gear to handle something that is imaginary.   Sorry to be the one serving up a dish of reality, but somebody has to do it.

   However, just in case I am wrong, the following recipe is practically guaranteed to keep any member of the living dead horde from invading your kitchen.  While Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning makes all kinds of wild game, meats, fish and vegetables simply delectable for normal people, zombies can't handle the flavor boost. 

   Keep a bottle of Chef Ralph's handy for your extra seasoning pleasure, serve up a plate of this meatloaf and then get ready to enjoy a zombie-free fine dining experience.

   Zombie Proof Macaroni Meatloaf

•       2 pounds ground venison
•       1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
•       1 tablespoon Chef Ralph’s Super Seasoning
•       2 eggs
•       1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
•       1/2 cup chopped onion
•       2 cloves garlic, minced
•       1 can (14.5-ounces) petite diced tomatoes in sauce
•       1/2 cup ketchup
•       1 teaspoon prepared mustard
•       2 tablespoons butter
•       1/4 cup milk
•       1 cup Velveeta cheese, cubed
•       2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
•       Chef Ralph’s Super Seasoning, to taste
•       1/2 cup grated cheddar or Gouda cheese

       In a large bowl, mix ground meat, bread crumbs, Chef Ralph’s, eggs, Worcestershire, onion, garlic, tomatoes, ketchup and mustard. When well mixed, spread meat mixture in the bottom of a greased 9-by-13 inch casserole dish.  Melt butter over medium heat in a large cooking pot.  Add milk, Velveeta and macaroni to melted butter.  Stir until cheese is melted. Pour macaroni and cheese mixture over meat mixture, sprinkle with a little Chef Ralph’s and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.  Sprinkle grated cheese over mixture and cook for another 15 minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve with fresh garlic bread and garlic mashed potatoes (to help repel any potential vampire threat).

   Those of us who have lost outdoor friends and family to the unrelenting passage of time tend to get a little melancholy as we celebrate the fall and winter hunting and holiday season each year.

    Thinking back on those days of old when one of our compadres cracked a joke or pulled off a good-hearted prank is our way to lighten our hearts and maybe even break into a smile as we relive our quality outdoor memories.

     The story below is one from "Revenge of Old Boots and Bacon Grease" that relates one memorable prank while offering a good recipe for anyone with a new supply of fresh deer meat.

    Enjoy the tale and the all-to-short time you have to spend with your hunting companions:

   Practical jokes seem to be a natural part of the great outdoors, just like clean air, fresh water and sunshine.

   One of the veterans of both the outdoors and practical jokes who I was privileged to share a little time with was the late Dan Klepper, who was the San Antonio Express-News outdoor editor for nearly 30 years.

   He cheerfully engaged in a running battle with his competition at the San Antonio Light newspaper, but one incident was a real corker.

   Knowing of his counterpart’s propensity for being a “been there and done that” kind of guy, Klepper used a little creative photography and darkroom techniques to produce a blurry photo of a youngster holding up an unusual fish.

     The tail of the catch was from a saltwater speckled trout, the body was of a catfish and the head was from a largemouth bass.

     Klepper sent the photo to his competitor with a hand-written note as if it was from the youngster that stated: “Please help me identify my catch.  I think it might be a trophy, but nobody can tell me what kind of fish it is.”

     Several days later, the photo appeared in the San Antonio Light with the response from the outdoor editor, who told the youngster not to be concerned about his lack of aquatic knowledge because: “I wasn’t sure what kind of fish this was myself until after I caught several of them.’’

     Klepper was a little more serious when he got around to cooking game. 

    The following dish was one of his most popular creations.

    Klepper's No Joke Meat Casserole

•     1 pound chopped or cubed venison
•     2 tablespoons oil (I use bacon grease)
•     1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
•     1 can (15 ounces) ranch-style beans
•     2 cups shredded longhorn cheese

   Heat oil over medium heat in a large cast-iron skillet and brown venison.  Feel free to sprinkle the meat with Chef Ralph’s Super Seasoning to kick up the flavor a notch. Stir in tomato paste.  Place half of the meat mixture in the bottom of a casserole dish or Dutch oven.  Add a layer (about 1/2 can) of beans and top with a layer of cheese. Repeat with another layer of meat, beans and cheese.  Cover dish or Dutch oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Serve with corn chips.

   Now, let's get cooking!

  As the annual rite of passage known as dove season takes over Texas, thousands of hunters will be testing their shooting skills against the aerial acrobatics of white-winged and mourning doves.   The following is a reprint of shooting tips published in September edition of The Journal of Texas Trophy Hunters that may help put more birds in your bag.

  A familiar sound at any field or tree line where dove hunters gather each year is: “BOOM, snick-snick; BOOM, snick-snick; BOOM, snick-snick;” often followed by words not appropriate for mixed company.

   This refrain of a pump-action shotgun being fired three times in rapid succession without bringing down a bird is audible testament to the wisdom of one of the keys to hunting success – make your first shot count.

   While ammunition manufacturers might love the three-shot everytime hunters – about 40 percent of annual shotgun shell sales are dove loads – those who want to put more birds in their game bag should avoid the practice.

    “Most hunters (with three potential shots) will fire the first one before they are even on the bird, knowing they have two more to back it up, or they just blast away that last shot at a dove that is way out of range,” said Milo Abercrombie of the 74 Ranch and Resort in Campbellton.

   “In either case, three shots just are not normally a good idea.”

    Abercrombie has witnessed thousands of hunters over the past few decades at the 28,000-acre ranch he manages in the heart of dove paradise in South Texas.

    “The birds are really hard to follow after the first shot – they start dipping and diving – and many hunters just won’t be able to stay on them for a second or third shot.

    “I see a lot of hunters who bring semiautomatics (or pump actions) when they first start out, but once they shoot a little and get confidence in their ability, they will move up to an over and under,’’ Abercrombie said.

    Another problem, should a hunter have the skills to down two or three birds at a time, is finding the doves once they have hit the ground.

    Even by utilizing the services of a well-trained retriever – either a good dog or non-hunting buddy – locating three dead birds on the ground at the same time can be a daunting task.  Game wardens are particularly sensitive to any shooters who leave their birds on the ground without a reasonable search and will ticket offenders they find following the practice.

   If a hunter can refrain from the three-shot habit, the benefit of both pump-action and semiautomatic is that they are, in most cases, lighter than two-barrel shotguns.  That means they are quicker on a target and won’t leave the shooter’s arms as tired at the end of a hunting day.

   Recoil may be slightly more with a single-barrel shotgun, although most of the modern models have recoil-reducing systems that work very well.

   Quick and easy handling semiautomatics such as the Browning Maxus or Silver Hunter; the Beretta A400 or AL391: the Benelli Super Sport, Cordoba or Super Black Eagle; the Remington 11-87 or Versa Max and others can all offer a quality dove hunting experience.

   Pump actions such as the Browning BPS, Benelli Nova, Mossberg 535, Remington 870 and others will not be as quite as easy to handle as a semiautomatic, but have become common shooting tools by hundreds of thousands of hunters every year.

    As veteran guides note, a hunter shooting any type of shotgun should focus on quality, not quantity, and learn to make that first shot a hit.  If a second shot is needed to finish off a wounded bird, use it.

    When swinging onto a bird, the single-barrel shotguns will require a little more push or pull than an over and under, which has more weight in the front end of the firearm that helps the shooter glide though the target.

    This tendency to “whip” the single-barrel shotgun can be overcome with a little practice and familiarity with your firearm.  As with all wingshooting, the more “smooth” in your swing, the more successful you will be in hitting the target.

    Two final pieces of advice for single-barrel shooters that will improve everyone’s hunting experience are:

    1. Please pick up your hulls.  Unlike an over and under or side-by-side, a single-barrel shooter can’t catch the empties as they are ejected and piles of hulls on the ground are a pet peeve of most landowners. Just like any other trash, hulls should be collected off the ground and properly discarded or taken home for reloading.

    2. Keep your action open when you are not shooting.   Everyone should always be safety conscious. If your action is open when carrying the shotgun, both you and the people around you know that the firearm is not capable of an accidental discharge.

    By following these rules and making that first shot count, everyone can enjoy one of the most popular hunting experiences of the year.

    Now, let's get shooting!

   Finding an "expert" who is willing -- even anxious -- to provide advice on hunting, shooting, cooking and any other outdoor activity is not a difficult task in my circle of friends and relatives.

   There are times when this advice can be put to good use, such as the case with one of my younger brothers who has always had a "black" thumb.

    If you are looking for expertise in the field of fire and explosions, Frank is your man.

    He has mellowed just a little since the time that he torched our family garden by igniting a car tire filled with fuel oil, then rolled it down a hill.  Dad had told Frank to burn off the garden debris, but I don't think a flaming tire was what he had in mind.

    The garden had produced a bounty of vegetables and was ready to be cleared, so the conflagration was actually beneficial.  Unfortunately, another 400 acres of grassland and brushy countryside behind our rural home also got pretty scorched.

    When Dad got home from work that night, glowing pockets stretched as far as you could see from the kitchen window.

    Dad, who was a master of understatement, sat down at the kitchen table and said: "Well, looks like Frank got that garden burned off."

    Mom, who had barely finished dealing with four volunteer fire departments called in to put out the blaze, just laid her head on her arms and gave out a little sob.

    Frank also knows how to put fire in his recipes, such as the following dish.

    The combination of Chef Ralph's seasoning and Chinese Sweet Chili Sauce really packs a punch in this easy creation that can be served either warm or chilled.

     Frank's Firecraker Shrimp

•     2 pounds medium to large shrimp
•     1 package (16 ounces) Won Ton Wraps
•     Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning
•     Peanut oil (for cooking)
•     Sweet Chili Sauce (for dipping)

    Peel shrimp and rinse in cold water.  Set aside to drain on a paper towel.  Cut each Won Ton Wrap in half.  Take each shrimp, sprinkle with Chef Ralph's seasoning and place on the edge of one cut wrap.  Moisten the other end of the wrap with water and roll, covering about half the shrimp.  Repeat with all the shrimp.  Heat peanut oil to 350 degrees.  Deep-fry wrapped shrimp for three to four minutes or until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels, immediately adding more seasoning to taste.  Serve with the Sweet Chili Sauce as a dip or place a dollop of sauce on each cooked shrimp.

    Now, let's get cooking!

   The following sauces are time-tested creations that were published in the Texas Sporting Journal "Taste of the Outdoors" wild game recipes that I compiled for the magazine several years ago. The sauce recipes have served me well and are simple to prepare.

   Mom Knows Best BBQ Sauce

•    1 cup catsup
•    2 tablespoons olive oil
•    3 tablespoons white vinegar
•    3 tablespoons white sugar
•    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
•    2 tablespoons liquid smoke (optional)
•    hot sauce, to taste
•    1 tablespoon Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning
•    1 cup onion, minced

    Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat  and simmer about 15 minutes.  Use for basting meats as they cook or as a dipping sauce.  Unused sauce should be refrigerated and should be used wihin two weeks.

*****************************************************************************************************************

    Although this sauce is designed for use with waterfowl, particularly tender young teal, it also works for quail, pheasant, or even chicken if your shooting skills might be a little rusty and you return home with an empty game bag.  The recipe can be doubled or tripled if you are cooking larger birds.  If you are cooking a whole chicken, increase the cooking time to 45 minutes or as long as it takes for the juices to be clear, with no red tint.

    Brandy Sauce Teal

•     2 teal, cleaned
•     Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning
•     4 tablespoons butter
•     1 medium onion, quartered
•    1/4 cup apple jelly
•    1/4 cup sour cream
•    1/4 cup brandy

   Rinse cleaned teal in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.  Sprinke birds on all sides with Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning.  Heat butter  in a Dutch oven over medium high heat, add seasoned ducks and brown on all sides.  Remove browned birds to a warm plate and stuff with quartered onion.  Add remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven and stir well.  Reduce heat to medium and bring mixture to a boil.  Return stuffed birds to Dutch oven, spooning sauce mixture over them.  Cover Dutch oven and bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes, basting about every 10 minutes.

  The following is a recipe I created for a special Texas Sporting Journal outdoor cookbook several years ago and is a good way to savor the flavor of fresh-caught fish.  While the recipe calls for catfish fillets, this tasty treat will also work with white bass, crappie, perch or even speckled trout if any of those end up in your ice chest for the trip home.

   This South Texas version of an English favorite should be served hot on plates covered with paper towels to soak up any oil, with a good homemade cocktail sauce on the side. 

     Chef Ralph's Fabulous Fish and Chips

•        2 pounds catfish fillets
•        4 small red potatoes
•        Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning
•        1 cup seasoned flour
•        1/4 cup white corn meal
•        peanut oil, for deep frying

       Rinse fillets in clean, cold water and let dry on a paper towel. Rinse unpeeled potatoes in clean, cold water and cut into slices about 1/4-inch thick (leave the potatoes a little wet to help the flour and corn meal mixture to stick to them). Sprinkle both sides of fillets and potatoes with Chef Ralph’s Super Seasoning.  Drop seasoned fillets and sliced potatoes, a few at a time, into a plastic bag containing the seasoned flour and corn meal mixture. Shake well to coat. Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer to 350 degrees. Fry fish and potatoes at the same time until both are golden brown.  The fish will cook faster than the sliced potatoes -- be sure to not overcook the fish!  Remove cooked fish and potatoes from oil to drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle with more Chef Ralph’s Super Seasoning, to taste.
 

     Now, let's get cooking!

   Now that hunters are home from the harvest, thoughts are turning to what kind of creations can be whipped up to transform deer meat in the freezer into a tasty treat at the dinner table.

   Here is an offering from my first book "The Campfire Chef: Old Boots & Bacon Grease,'' that is just the ticket for using ground venison as the base for a dish that will satisfy even those that turn up their nose at wild game.

   Ground meat is one of the most versatile creations ever invented by mankind and the proper mixture of venison and a little beef fat can be a creative foundation for many tasty dishes.

   For those successful hunters who like to cut, grind and wrap their own venison, a good rule of thumb is to use about one pound of ground beef brisket for every five pounds of ground venison.  This combination can be made into patties and fried without being dry or running the risk of burned burgers.

   If creativity is your culinary quest, the following recipe transforms ground venison into a tasty, different delight with just a minimum of preparation time.

   Feel free to add a couple chopped serrano peppers and a handful of shredded cheddar cheese into your meatball mixture to kick up the recipe a notch.

   The name for this dish has something to do with the look of the cooked rice sticking out of the meatballs and not because of any secret ingredient in the mixture – but don’t tell your dining companions until after they take a taste.

Chef Ralph’s Venison Porcupines

•    1 egg
•    1/2 cup water
•    1 package instant onion soup, divided
•    1 cup chopped onion
•    2 pounds ground venison
•    1 teaspoon Chef Ralph’s Super Seasoning
•    1 cup uncooked rice, divided
•    2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
•    1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
•    1 tablespoon sugar

   Beat egg with water, 2 tablespoons soup mix and chopped onion in large bowl. Add meat, Chef Ralph’s (or your own combination of salts and peppers) and 1/4-cup rice, mix well and shape into 2-inch balls. Roll meatballs in remaining rice, pressing rice into the surface of the meat, and set aside.  Combine remaining ingredients, including reserved soup mix and more Chef Ralph’s, in a Dutch oven or large stew pot and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Add meatballs, cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer for about 40 minutes, spooning sauce over the meatballs several times as they cook.

   Now, let's get cooking!

That secret is now available to everyone with the creation of "Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning'' -- the perfect blend of salt, pepper and spices for giving a culinary shot in the arm to nearly any dish.

Veteran campfire chef and South Texas outdoor writer/photographer Ralph Winingham developed the seasoning after extensive research and a lot of good eating at hunting and fishing camps around the world.

"A tough job, but someone's got to do it."

The seasoning is the ultimate combination to put just the right "whang" in just about everything from wild game, fish and fowl, to vegetables, beef and pork for those cooks who do their hunting and fishing at their local grocery store.

Winingham developed the seasoning after lengthy experimentation with spices he regularly used in wild game and fish dishes.

"I am happy to share my special seasoning combination with everyone from the greenhorn to veteran camp or kitchen chef who wants to put a little spice in their creations. I use the seasoning just like I would salt and pepper - with exceptional results."

Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning is available for only $4.95 per 8-ounce bottle, plus shipping and handling.  Discounts are available for case (12 bottle) purchases.  Order information is available by calling (210) 240-6149 or at rwiningham@att.net.

Now, let's get cooking!

Take every opportunity to limit your campfire or outdoor grill cooking time by mixing ingredients ahead of time, streamlining steps and having everything at the ready before you step up to the fire.

Properly seasoned cast-iron (instructions come with every piece you buy) is the time-tested and preferred cookware. After using cast-iron, clean the pieces with hot water and just a little soap – always use a plastic or wooden scraper if any food sticks. Wipe the cleaned cookware with a thin film of lard or good olive oil to maintain the pieces in proper cooking order.

If you are cooking over wood, the most popular fuel is mesquite. The seasoned hardwood produces a hot fire, so watch your cooking temperature. Add a bit of green wood to add a smoky flavor to your dishes.

A good method of judging temperature is to hold your hand over the cooking coals until the heat becomes uncomfortable. If you remove your hand after a count of 3 to 5, your heat level is high; medium heat is a count of 6 to 8; and low is a count of 10 to 12.

When determining a baking temperature with a Dutch oven, a good formula is that if you have 10 hot coals under the oven and about five on the lid, you will have a cooking heat of about 350 degrees.

Easy Wild Game Recipe

    Variety is the spice of life and also provides a tasty option when successful hunters want to put their annual harvest to good use. The following recipe calls for three different kinds of meat that combine into an easy dining treat.  If the hunting year has not been so successful for the sportsman or sportswoman in your family, feel free to substitute beef or domestic pork for the venison and feral hog.  The dove breasts are optional.

   HogVenDove Quisada

•     1 pound venison round steak, cubed
•     1 pound boneless feral hog meat, cubed
•     15 dove breasts, deboned and cut in half
•     Chef Ralph's Super Seasoning
•     1 cup seasoned flour
•     9 tablespoons bacon grease or olive oil
•     1 cup picante sauce or salsa
•     1 cup prepared onion dip
•     2 cans (14 ounces each) beef broth
•     1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed

       Season cubed meat (cut into about 1/2-inch pieces) and dove breasts with Chef Ralph's or your own combination of salts and peppers.  Place seasoned pieces of each meat in a separate resealable plastic bag.  Add 1/3 cup seasoned flour (Chef Ralph's or your own seasoning) to each bag and shake well to coat meat.  Heat three tablespoons of bacon grease or olive oil over medium high heat in a large cast iron skillet.  Brown floured and seasoned venison cubes on all sides and set aside on a warm platter.  Repeat with feral hog meat and dove breasts, adding grease or oil as needed.  Reduce heat to medium and add remaining ingredients, except cream cheese, to skillet.  Simmer, stirring often, for about five minutes.  Return all meats to the mixture in the skillet, cover and reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer about 10-15 minutes.  Stir in cream cheese until well blended.  Cover and simmer another five minutes.  Serve in warm flour tortillas or over cooked rice or mashed potatoes.

    A collection of recipes like the one above are available in two cookbooks created by Outdoor Writer and Campfire Chef Ralph Winingham that feature a special selection of stories, recipes, cooking advice and outdoor tales.  About 100 stories and recipes are available in both "The Campfire Chef: Old Boots and Bacon Grease" that was published in 2002 and "Revenge of Old Boots and Bacon Grease" that was released in 2005.  "Revenge" was selected as the Texas Outdoor Writers Association Book of the Year in 2006. 

    The cookbooks are available for $14.95 each, plus tax, shipping and handling.  Order information may be obtained by calling (210) 240-6149 or at rwiningham@att.net. 

Now, let's get cooking!